The invention relates to a lock for releasably securing portable apparatus against theft and more particularly, to a lock enclosed in a casing which includes an automatically retractable cable which may be extended from the casing around a secure object and locked by its free end into the casing to secure the instrument against theft. For explanatory purposes, such apparatus will conveniently refer to a bicycle or other vehicle and portable athletic gear and like valuable property.
Current interest in bicycling and other recreational activities involving portable instruments has brought about an increased possibility of theft of the instruments when they have to be left unattended. An individual chain and lock may be carried as one solution to the problem, but this is cumbersome and easy to misplace. Thus, the need has developed for a device which may be permanently carried with the bicycle or other portable instruments, which is easily manipulated and operated to lock the instrument to a secure, stationary object.
The prior art discloses numerous patented devices which are intended to be used with portable instruments, such as bicycles or skis. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,670,535 and 3,714,803 are directed to devices intended to be secured to ski equipment to prevent their theft. U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,972 is directed to a device for securing a bicycle against theft. Each of these devices and other devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,933,915, include a retractile cable capable of being secured around a fixed object and then locked to the lock device to secure the instrument against theft.
Each of these patented devices are believed to exhibit certain disadvantages. For instance, none of these devices have the simplicity of construction and operation of the bicycle lock of the invention. The bicycle lock of the invention has a casing containing an automatically retractile cable with a free end which may be locked into the casing in any desired position of the cable. The casing has a latch biased against the cable reel which must be released for the cable and reel to be extended or retracted. When the free end of the cable is locked into the casing, it prevents the latch from being released.